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Patented July 12, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HEN BY J. LUFF ANDWILLARD J. LUFF, OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO; SAID HENRY J. LUFF ASSIGNORTO SAID WILLARD J. LUFF GAS-VENT 'r 7 Application filed April 13, 1929.

The present invention relates, as indicated, to a gas vent, and moreparticularly to a fitting adapted to be used to connect the vent pipe ofany one of a series of stoves to a common flue, the fitting beingespecially designed to prevent the flow of condensed liquid from theproducts of combustion out of the flue. Further objects will appear asthe description proceeds. To the accomplishment of the foregoing andrelated ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafterfully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detailcertain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed meansconstituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which theprinciple of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

The single figure is an elevation disclosing a flue and two slightlydifferent types offittings connected therein, one of said fittings beingshown in verticalsection. In apartment houses and similar structures, itis common practice to arrange those suites which are in verticalalignment with each other in exactly similar fashion. Thus, in thekitchen of a plurality of suites on difi'erent floors, the kitchencabinet, the sink, the stove, etc., in each suite is arranged exactlyabove the cor responding fixture in the apartment on the floor below. Itis thus possible to provide a single vent flue for the stoves of all theapartments in a single tier, and it is common practice to do so and toconnect the vent pipes of the stoves in all such apartments to the sameflue.

Some sort of fitting must, of course, be provided at each floor topermit the connection into the main flue of the stove pipe for thatfloor. A ma or objection to the fittings which have previously beenprovided has been that the liquid condensate from the products ofcombustion has had a tendency to flow outwardly, through the effect ofsurface tension, along the branch of the fitting to which the stove pipeis connected, with a consequent discoloration of the plaster about suchpoint of connection. The fitting of the present inven- Serial No.354,738.

tion entirely obviates difliculty.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the reference numeral 1indicates a sec tion of a flue of the type which has just beendescribed. A fitting 2 is connected to said section through the mediumof an internally threaded hub 3 of slightly reduced internal diameter. Asimilar connection is indicated at A at the upper end of the fitting 2,and a leg 5 opens substantially horizontally from said fitting for thereception of a stove pipe. The fitting 2 is identical with the fitting 6in most details, and consequently will not be described in detail. Oneof the fittings 2is provided in the flue 1 adjacent each floor in thebuilding with the exception of the lowermost floor adjacent which thereis provided in the flue 1 a fitting 6 of slightly differentcharacteristics.

As is illustrated in the drawing, the fitting 6 comprises a body memberhaving an upper open end 7 which is of slightly reduced diameter andwhich is internally threaded for the reception of the lower end of theflue section 1. The lower internally threadedend 8 of the fitting 6 ismaterially reduced for the reception of the pipe 9, whereby there isformed a collecting cup 10 below the main body of the chamber 11 formedby the fitting 6. The fitting 6 may be considered a T having branches 7and 8 and a leg 12.

As will be noted, the lower end 13 of the flue section 1 is, in theassembled position of the parts, precisely flush with the inner end 14of the reduced portion 7.

lVhen the illustrated system is installed, the various stove pipes willbe inserted in the legs 5 and 12 of the respective fittings. Any liquidwhich condenses in the flue 1, for instance, between the fitting 2 andthe fitting 6, will flow down the sides of the flue. Of course, thiscondensate collects in very small quantites, and consequently the flowis quite slow. When a given particle of moisture reaches the lower end13 of the flue section 1, it Willbe seen that it encounters a sharpshoulder, and that it tends to form a globule or drop 15 depending fromthat shoulder. As is well understood the tendency is for this thepossibility of such globule to grow in size until its weight issufficient to break the attraction between the liquid and the tube,rather than for the liquid to run horizontally across the shoulderformed by the end 13 of the flue section 1 and ,the inner end 14 of thereduced portion 7 of the fitting. If, however, a portion of the liquidshould run horizontally across this shoulder toward the leg 12, it willbe received by "th g' jQ Y :16 which i s formed a to cause the liquid torun downwardly a- 1 1 d into the chamber 11 and collecting cup 10.

A still further protection is provided in that the interior surface ofthe leg 12 is formed with a plurality of concentric taperedgrooves 17,these grooves increasingin diameter from the inner to the outer end ofthe leg12. As will be obvious, the taper of the respective grooves 17causes the formation of ridges 18 between each pair of grooves, and arib 19isforn1edadjacent the outer end the leg 12. The grooves thus havetwo functions-zviz, to prevent liquid from flowing from theinner to theouter end of the leg 12, and to provide the ridges 18 of decreasingdiameterfrom the outer to the inner end of the leg 12 whereby a secureline-type joint is provided between the stove pipe and the leg 12. Alongitudinal groove 20 is formed at the base of the leg 12, connectingthe bases of thc,grooves17"with each other and with the interior-of thecollectingcup 10.

It, will thus be seen that the "shoulder formed by the end13 of the fluesection land by the inner end 14 of the reduced portion of the fitting 6operates to deter liquid from flowi g fiomth chambe lli to h eg l2, andthatthe grooves 16, 17, and 20 operate o Pr ve tl q d from fl wi g f m hinner to the outer end of the leg '12.

I1 fi ting-bf the p e nt i e ti n h s further feature which isconsidered 'to be of ma erial valu y rot e in bu d n i the type in whichthe present fitting can adv ntag ous y b u d, h s o us n e suite isr thepropertyof the tenant. For this reason, or for other reasons, the stovepipe is fte di c nnected f om the. fl e, n t is common practice, where astove pipe is so isc nne t d o stuf e opening in e ue with paper orother material to prevent the flue gases from flowing outwa ly t h room.Very often indeed such" paper is stuffe ti e y too farin o t eop ningndrnay extendintothe flue partially to block the flue passage, thuspreventing proper venting of the gases of combustion in other apartm as- Sq e mes, el e, a wa p per is nadv rt nt y Pu e -comp e e y ug econnecting leg andinto the fiue whence it cannot conveniently beremoved. In order to. make impossible all of these acts, I provide across-bar 21 extending across-the 'leg1'2 adj acent ithe inner endthereof. A single crossbar of character is suflicient to prevent thepaper wadding usually used from being inadvertently pushed into theflue, or from being Stllfifbd. far enough into the leg 12 to interferewith flow through the flue. The cross-bar 21 further acts as apositioner for the entered end of the stove pipe. Of course it isto beunderstood that our invention is not limited to the use of a singlecross-bar, but that'it includes also the use of a grating.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as ourinvention 1. A gas-vent T having a leg adapted to bedisposed in asubstantially horizontal position, said leg being formed with a taperedannular groove to prevent flow of liquid along the interior surface ofsaid leg to the outer end thereof.

2. A gas-vent T having a leg adapted to be disposed in a substantiallyhorizontal position, said leg being formed in its interior surface witha tapered annular groove and with a longitudinal groove leading from thebase of said annular groove to the interior of the body of said T.

3. A gas-vent T having a leg adapted to be disposed in a substantiallyhorizontal position, said leg being formed in its interior surface witha plurality of tapered concentric grooves and with a longitudinal grooveconnecting the bases of said tapered grooves with each other and withthe interior of the body of said T.

Signed by us this 11th day of April, 1929.

HENRY J. LUFF. WILLARD J. LUFF.

